U.S. fears Russia is utilizing a 'nuclear defend' in Ukraine; Zelenskyy calls grain cargo a 'optimistic sign'

Amid its second-quarter earnings replace Tuesday, BP CEO Bernard Looney mentioned that the agency’s refinery in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, now not makes use of Russian crude, down from 50%.

Oil majors have been one in every of many sectors which have minimize or considerably lowered their publicity to Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

Back in late February, BP introduced it was offloading its 19.75% stake in Rosneft, a Russian-controlled oil firm.

— Matt Clinch

Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned the U.S. is “deeply concerned” about reviews that Russian forces have taken over nuclear amenities in Ukraine.

“There are credible reports, including in the media today, that Russia is using this plant as the equivalent of a human shield, but a nuclear shield in the sense that it’s firing on Ukrainians from around the plant,” Blinken informed reporters on the United Nations, including that this was “the height of irresponsibility.”

“And of course, the Ukrainians cannot and will not fire back, lest there be a terrible accident involving a nuclear plant,” he mentioned.

Blinken mentioned that it was necessary that the International Atomic Energy Agency be granted entry to nuclear amenities in an effort to safeguard in opposition to an accident.

— Amanda Macias

Rising concern over the affect of a possible Russian gasoline cutoff is fueling the talk in Germany over whether or not the nation ought to swap off its final three nuclear energy vegetation as deliberate on the finish of this 12 months.

The door to some type of extension appeared to open a crack after the Economy Ministry in mid-July introduced a brand new “stress test” on the safety of electrical energy provides. It’s presupposed to bear in mind a more durable state of affairs than a earlier take a look at, concluded in May, that discovered provides have been assured.

Since then, Russia has lowered pure gasoline provides via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany to twenty% of capability amid tensions over the warfare in Ukraine. It cited technical points that Germany says are solely an excuse for a political energy play. Russia not too long ago has accounted for a couple of third of Germany’s gasoline provide, and there are issues it might flip off the faucet altogether.

The primary opposition Union bloc has made more and more frequent calls for for an extension of the nuclear vegetation’ lives. Similar calls are coming from the smallest occasion in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition authorities, the pro-business Free Democrats.

— Associated Press

French President Emmanuel Macron informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a telephone name that warfare crimes dedicated by Russian forces will “not go unpunished.”

“While war crimes are multiplying, the President of the Republic reaffirmed his support for the Ukrainian people and their resistance and declared his determination to ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished,” a French presidential workplace supply wrote in a readout of the decision.

During the decision, the thirty sixth alternate between the 2 leaders since Russia’s warfare in Ukraine started, Macron mentioned that France would ship a workforce of forensic specialists and a cell DNA evaluation laboratory to Ukraine.

— Amanda Macias